Patents by Inventor Tomoyuki Kunita

Tomoyuki Kunita has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11545689
    Abstract: An electrolyte membrane is described that has improved bondability with a catalyst layer and that achieves good power generation performance, without the electrolyte membrane undergoing a physical treatment and without any loss of surface modification effect, where the electrolyte membrane comprises a polymer electrolyte and a nonionic fluorochemical surfactant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: TORAY INDUSTRIES, INC.
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Kunita, Hiroaki Umeda, Tatsuhiro Inoue
  • Publication number: 20220407101
    Abstract: A composite polymer electrolyte membrane including a polymer electrolyte and a porous substrate, and having a dry tensile modulus of 100 N/cm or more per width and a wet tensile modulus of 35 N/cm or more per width. Enhancing the mechanical characteristics of the electrolyte membrane results in providing an electrolyte membrane that achieves good dry-wet cycle durability.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2020
    Publication date: December 22, 2022
    Applicant: TORAY INDUSTRIES, INC.
    Inventors: Tomoyuki KUNITA, Kenta MINAMIBAYASHI, Daisuke OGATA, Daisuke IZUHARA
  • Publication number: 20220336836
    Abstract: A composite electrolyte membrane having a composite layer that is a composite of a hydrocarbon polymer electrolyte and a fluorine-containing polymer porous substrate, wherein a fractal dimension D exhibiting the distribution of the hydrocarbon polymer electrolyte and the fluorine-containing polymer porous substrate in the composite layer is 1.7 or more. An object of the present invention is to enable a composite electrolyte membrane composed of a hydrocarbon polymer electrolyte and a fluorine-containing polymer porous substrate to achieve high proton conduction ability and high mechanical durability.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2020
    Publication date: October 20, 2022
    Applicant: TORAY INDUSTRIES, INC.
    Inventors: Kenta MINAMIBAYASHI, Tomoyuki KUNITA, Daisuke OGATA, Daisuke IZUHARA
  • Publication number: 20210005912
    Abstract: An electrolyte membrane is described that has improved bondability with a catalyst layer and that achieves good power generation performance, without the electrolyte membrane undergoing a physical treatment and without any loss of surface modification effect, where the electrolyte membrane comprises a polymer electrolyte and a nonionic fluorochemical surfactant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2019
    Publication date: January 7, 2021
    Applicant: Toray Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Kunita, Hiroaki Umeda, Tatsuhiro Inoue
  • Patent number: 10826098
    Abstract: A composite polymer electrolyte membrane has a high proton conductivity even under low-humidity, low-temperature conditions, a reduced dimensional change rate, a high mechanical strength and high chemical stability, and produces a solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell with a high output and high physical durability, a membrane electrode assembly, and a solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell containing the same. This composite polymer electrolyte membrane contains a composite layer composed mainly of a polyazole-containing nanofiber nonwoven fabric (A) and an ionic group-containing polymer electrolyte (B), the polyazole-containing nanofiber nonwoven fabric (A) being basic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignees: Toray Industries, Inc., Japan Vilene Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yumiko Okamoto, Daisuke Izuhara, Junpei Yamaguchi, Shusuke Shirai, Tomoyuki Kunita, Hiroaki Umeda, Yuuta Wakamoto, Tatsunori Ito, Noriko Michihata, Takashi Tarao
  • Publication number: 20200091532
    Abstract: A composite polymer electrolyte membrane has a high proton conductivity even under low-humidity, low-temperature conditions, a reduced dimensional change rate, a high mechanical strength and high chemical stability, and produces a solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell with a high output and high physical durability, a membrane electrode assembly, and a solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell containing the same. This composite polymer electrolyte membrane contains a composite layer composed mainly of a polyazole-containing nanofiber nonwoven fabric (A) and an ionic group-containing polymer electrolyte (B), the polyazole-containing nanofiber nonwoven fabric (A) being basic.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2017
    Publication date: March 19, 2020
    Inventors: Yumiko Okamoto, Daisuke Izuhara, Junpei Yamaguchi, Shusuke Shirai, Tomoyuki Kunita, Hiroaki Umeda, Yuuta Wakamoto, Tatsunori Ito, Noriko Michihata, Takashi Tarao
  • Patent number: 10253147
    Abstract: A polymer electrolyte composition has excellent practicality and excellent chemical stability as to be able to withstand a strong oxidizing atmosphere during fuel cell operation and is able to achieve excellent proton conductivity under a low-humidified condition and excellent mechanical strength and physical durability, and a polymer electrolyte membrane, a membrane-electrode assembly, and a polymer electrolyte fuel cell produced therefrom. The polymer electrolyte composition includes an ionic group-containing polymer (A), an azole ring-containing compound (B), and a transition metal-containing additive (C), the transition metal being one or more selected from the group consisting of cobalt, nickel, ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, silver, and gold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: Toray Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Kunita, Daisuke Izuhara, Hiroaki Umeda
  • Patent number: 10243229
    Abstract: A polymer electrolyte composition is excellent in practicality which has such an excellent chemical stability as to be able to withstand a strong oxidizing atmosphere during operation of a fuel cell and is capable of achieving excellent proton conductivity under a low-humidified condition and excellent mechanical strength and physical durability as well as a polymer electrolyte membrane, a membrane electrode assembly, and a polymer electrolyte fuel cell which use the polymer electrolyte composition. The polymer electrolyte membrane is a polymer electrolyte membrane that contains at least an ionic group-containing polymer electrolyte and a polyazole, which is a polymer electrolyte membrane in which a phase separation of 2 nm or larger in which the polyazole is a main component is not observed in transmission type electron microscopic observation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: Toray Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Kunita, Daisuke Izuhara, Hiroaki Umeda
  • Patent number: 10103401
    Abstract: A polymer electrolyte composition includes at least an ionic group-containing polymer (A), an organic phosphorus-based additive (C), and a nitrogen-containing heteroaromatic additive (D), the nitrogen-containing heteroaromatic additive (D) containing at least three nitrogen-containing heteroaromatic rings in one molecule.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: Toray Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroaki Umeda, Daisuke Izuhara, Tomoyuki Kunita
  • Patent number: 9748593
    Abstract: The present invention provides: a polymer electrolyte composition which can achieve excellent proton conductivity under slightly humidified conditions, excellent mechanical strength and excellent physical durability, has excellent practicality, and can be produced using a nitrogen-containing additive, wherein the nitrogen-containing additive can prevent the elution of the additive under a strongly acidic atmosphere during the operation of a fuel cell, has excellent chemical stability so as to tolerate a strongly acidic atmosphere, can be dissolved in various general-purpose organic solvents, has superior processability, can be mixed with an ionic-group-containing polymer, can prevent the occurrence of phase separation during the formation of a film, and can prevent the formation of an island-in-sea-like phase separation structure or the occurrence of bleeding out during the formation of a film; and a polymer electrolyte membrane, a membrane electrode assembly and a polymer electrolyte fuel cell, each of which
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: TORAY INDUSTRIES, INC.
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Kunita, Daisuke Izuhara, Naoki Shimoyama, Yuka Fujieda, Hiroaki Umeda
  • Patent number: 9685674
    Abstract: Provided are: a practically excellent polymer electrolyte composition having excellent chemical stability of being resistant to strong oxidizing atmosphere during operation of fuel cell, and achieving excellent proton conductivity under low-humidification conditions, excellent mechanical strength and physical durability; a polymer electrolyte membrane, a membrane electrode assembly, and a polymer electrolyte fuel cell each using the same. The polymer electrolyte composition of the present invention comprises at least an ionic group-containing polymer (A) and a phosphorus-containing additive (B), the phosphorus-containing additive (B) being at least one of a phosphine compound and a phosphinite compound. The polymer electrolyte membrane, the membrane electrode assembly, and the polymer electrolyte fuel cell of the present invention are structured by the polymer electrolyte composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: TORAY INDUSTRIES, INC.
    Inventors: Daisuke Izuhara, Tomoyuki Kunita, Yuka Yachi
  • Patent number: 9653745
    Abstract: To provide: a block copolymer that exhibits excellent proton conductivity even under low-humidification conditions, exhibits excellent mechanical strength and chemical stability, and when used in a polymer electrolyte fuel cell, allows high output and excellent physical durability; a polymer electrolyte material; and a polymer electrolyte form article and a polymer electrolyte fuel cell, using the same. The block copolymer of the present invention includes each one or more of: a segment (A1) containing an ionic group; a segment (A2) not containing an ionic group; and a linker moiety connecting the segments. The segment (A1) containing an ionic group comprises a constituent unit represented by a specific structure. The polymer electrolyte material, the polymer electrolyte form article, and the polymer electrolyte fuel cell according to the present invention are manufactured by using the above block copolymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: TORAY INDUSTRIES, INC.
    Inventors: Daisuke Izuhara, Hiroaki Umeda, Emi Amano, Tomoyuki Kunita
  • Publication number: 20170125832
    Abstract: A polymer electrolyte composition includes at least an ionic group-containing polymer (A), an organic phosphorus-based additive (C), and a nitrogen-containing heteroaromatic additive (D), the nitrogen-containing heteroaromatic additive (D) containing at least three nitrogen-containing heteroaromatic rings in one molecule.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2015
    Publication date: May 4, 2017
    Inventors: Hiroaki Umeda, Daisuke Izuhara, Tomoyuki Kunita
  • Publication number: 20170037207
    Abstract: A polymer electrolyte composition has excellent practicality and excellent chemical stability as to be able to withstand a strong oxidizing atmosphere during fuel cell operation and is able to achieve excellent proton conductivity under a low-humidified condition and excellent mechanical strength and physical durability, and a polymer electrolyte membrane, a membrane-electrode assembly, and a polymer electrolyte fuel cell produced therefrom. The polymer electrolyte composition includes an ionic group-containing polymer (A), an azole ring-containing compound (B), and a transition metal-containing additive (C), the transition metal being one or more selected from the group consisting of cobalt, nickel, ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, silver, and gold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2015
    Publication date: February 9, 2017
    Applicant: Toray Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Kunita, Daisuke Izuhara, Hiroaki Umeda
  • Patent number: 9553326
    Abstract: Provided are an aromatic sulfonic acid derivative and a sulfonic acid group-containing polymer, each of which has excellent proton conductivity even under low humidification conditions, while having excellent mechanical strength and chemical stability, and enables a solid polymer fuel cell to achieve high output and excellent physical durability when used therein. This aromatic sulfonic acid derivative has a specific structure and is characterized in that a sulfonic acid group is introduced into more than 50% of all the phenyl groups. This sulfonic acid group-containing polymer is characterized by being obtained by polymerization using the aromatic sulfonic acid derivative, and is also characterized by having a specific structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignee: TORAY INDUSTRIES, INC.
    Inventors: Daisuke Izuhara, Hiroaki Umeda, Emi Amano, Tomoyuki Kunita
  • Publication number: 20170018793
    Abstract: A polymer electrolyte composition is excellent in practicality which has such an excellent chemical stability as to be able to withstand a strong oxidizing atmosphere during operation of a fuel cell and is capable of achieving excellent proton conductivity under a low-humidified condition and excellent mechanical strength and physical durability as well as a polymer electrolyte membrane, a membrane electrode assembly, and a polymer electrolyte fuel cell which use the polymer electrolyte composition. The polymer electrolyte membrane is a polymer electrolyte membrane that contains at least an ionic group-containing polymer electrolyte and a polyazole, which is a polymer electrolyte membrane in which a phase separation of 2 nm or larger in which the polyazole is a main component is not observed in transmission type electron microscopic observation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2015
    Publication date: January 19, 2017
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Kunita, Daisuke Izuhara, Hiroaki Umeda
  • Publication number: 20150380759
    Abstract: Provided are an aromatic sulfonic acid derivative and a sulfonic acid group-containing polymer, each of which has excellent proton conductivity even under low humidification conditions, while having excellent mechanical strength and chemical stability, and enables a solid polymer fuel cell to achieve high output and excellent physical durability when used therein. This aromatic sulfonic acid derivative has a specific structure and is characterized in that a sulfonic acid group is introduced into more than 50% of all the phenyl groups. This sulfonic acid group-containing polymer is characterized by being obtained by polymerization using the aromatic sulfonic acid derivative, and is also characterized by having a specific structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 2, 2015
    Publication date: December 31, 2015
    Inventors: Daisuke IZUHARA, Hiroaki UMEDA, Emi AMANO, Tomoyuki KUNITA
  • Publication number: 20150295262
    Abstract: The present invention provides: a polymer electrolyte composition which can achieve excellent proton conductivity under slightly humidified conditions, excellent mechanical strength and excellent physical durability, has excellent practicality, and can be produced using a nitrogen-containing additive, wherein the nitrogen-containing additive can prevent the elution of the additive under a strongly acidic atmosphere during the operation of a fuel cell, has excellent chemical stability so as to tolerate a strongly acidic atmosphere, can be dissolved in various general-purpose organic solvents, has superior processability, can be mixed with an ionic-group-containing polymer, can prevent the occurrence of phase separation during the formation of a film, and can prevent the formation of an island-in-sea-like phase separation structure or the occurrence of bleeding out during the formation of a film; and a polymer electrolyte membrane, a membrane electrode assembly and a polymer electrolyte fuel cell, each of which
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2013
    Publication date: October 15, 2015
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Kunita, Daisuke Izuhara, Naoki Shimoyama, Yuka Fujieda, Hiroaki Umeda
  • Patent number: 9126908
    Abstract: Provided are an aromatic sulfonic acid derivative and a sulfonic acid group-containing polymer, each of which has excellent proton conductivity even under low humidification conditions, while having excellent mechanical strength and chemical stability, and enables a solid polymer fuel cell to achieve high output and excellent physical durability when used therein. This aromatic sulfonic acid derivative has a specific structure and is characterized in that a sulfonic acid group is introduced into more than 50% of all the phenyl groups. This sulfonic acid group-containing polymer is characterized by being obtained by polymerization using the aromatic sulfonic acid derivative, and is also characterized by having a specific structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: TORAY INDUSTRIES, INC.
    Inventors: Daisuke Izuhara, Hiroaki Umeda, Emi Amano, Tomoyuki Kunita
  • Publication number: 20140377686
    Abstract: Provided are: a practically excellent polymer electrolyte composition having excellent chemical stability of being resistant to strong oxidizing atmosphere during operation of fuel cell, and achieving excellent proton conductivity under low-humidification conditions, excellent mechanical strength and physical durability; a polymer electrolyte membrane, a membrane electrode assembly, and a polymer electrolyte fuel cell each using the same. The polymer electrolyte composition of the present invention comprises at least an ionic group-containing polymer (A) and a phosphorus-containing additive (B), the phosphorus-containing additive (B) being at least one of a phosphine compound and a phosphinite compound. The polymer electrolyte membrane, the membrane electrode assembly, and the polymer electrolyte fuel cell of the present invention are structured by the polymer electrolyte composition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2012
    Publication date: December 25, 2014
    Inventors: Daisuke Izuhara, Tomoyuki Kunita, Yuka Yachi